I'm a Busy Girl - for You!

Well, I think I mentioned (probably ages ago - alas!) that I was planning to prepare a Special Report for Road Warrioresses, Perpetual Travelers, and solo women travelers on "Packing for the Long Haul."  It is underway at last!  And I have a publisher awaiting final copy.
A few posts from the blog are included - often expanded.  Lots of new material, though.  The back of the book will include handy charts or tables so you can prepare a packing list for each of your trips, update it on the road, if necessary, and keep track of what you need and what you have.

It will first be published as a Kindle Edition e-book available from Amazon.com.  The nice thing about Kindle books is that they can be downloaded to so many gadgets and gizmos.  Kindle books are not just for Kindle readers - there's Kindle for PC, as well as apps for tablets, iPads, and whosits and whatsits.  Amazon's website includes complete details on usable devices, as well as free downloads of the various apps. 

Once you buy a Kindle book from amazon, you can access your purchase on all of your various electronic equipment.  So you can read materials on your laptop or notebook one day, and on a Kindle or tablet at the beach the next.  You can look up something in hurry on your iPad, iPod, or whatever.  I've become rather fond of Kindle!

I assume the publisher will get an edition up on Barnes & Noble's Nook, although they plan to release on Amazon first.

As soon as this is done and available online, I'll let you know!  We're working out some way to reward this blog's readers with some sort of win-a-freebie, discount, or something.  So watch for details.  They'll be posted as soon as available.

Here are details available so far:
Author:  Ann Teller (that's me!  LOL!)
Title:  Packing for the Long Haul:  A TravelTellers™ Quick Guide for Road Warrioresses
Publisher:  AngeLines Publishing^®
ISBN: to be assigned
Price: to be determined
Release Date: to be announced

Hang around for more info!  I think you'll all like this and find it useful, so I'm looking forward to sharing more tips, tricks, ideas I gathered while riding the rails through China, continent-crossing on the Trans-Siberian Railroad, business trips, and what-have-you.

May your road rise to meet you!

Best regards, Ann

Nifty Tricks with Fabric Softener Sheets

Packing for a week, month, or more?  Sooner or later, the Road Warrior-ess, Perpetual Traveler, backpacker, business traveler has to do laundry.  Wash-outs in the bathroom sink work about twice, but simply don't do a proper job of it.  But whether you will hit the laundry facilities or not. . .

Pack a batch of fabric softener sheets!  These sheets, the kind which work in the clothes dryer, are a multi-purpose item which belong in every suitcase.

Tuck one into each pocket and compartment of your suitcase(s) or bags.  Lay one or two in the base before you add clothing.  As you fold or roll clothing to pack, lay a sheet on at least a few of the garments you’re taking.  A dozen can easily slip into one suitcase or carry-on bag.  You’ll find them very handy.

Fabric softener sheets have several nifty uses:

1.   They keep your suitcase and clothing smelling fresh while traveling.

2.   Use one each time you do laundry on the road.  Save the cost of fabric softener, since laudromats charge a small fortune for one or two sheets.  And save the trouble of finding them on the road.  You don't want to lug a boxful.

3.   Forget your bug repellent?  Or forego it due to TSA regulations?  Take one sheet, rub it on arms, legs, neck, then stuff the sheet in your pocket when you head outdoors.  The scent helps repel mosquitoes, gnats, sand flies and such pesky critters.  No, it’s not as good as bug repellent spray, but it certainly works in a pinch!

4.   Slip some into empty suitcases before you stow them away between trips.  It helps prevent musty odors travel bags develop while closed and stored.

Got any more ideas?  Share them with us!  Meanwhile, don’t forget to pack them before you head out on your next sojourn.

May your road rise to meet you!

Best, Ann

What's Your ROI on Hotel Rewards Programs?

I spent the afternoon checking up on my various hotel rewards programs, and I'm not too happy!  E.g. Hilton Honors - despite following up a few times after my last stay at a Hilton, I never got any points posted to my account.  Ticked me off enough that I have not stayed in any Hilton since.  It's been at least 2-3 years.
Starwood Preferred Guest (spg.com) I had not checked up on for awhile.  Silly me!  Especially after spending a small fortune (at least to me) on my last 2-night stay.  Got my points, no problem.  But when I started digging into details on redeeming awards, I found the same hotel where I last stayed requires 7,000 points for one free night.  At a mere 2 points per dollar spent, that means spending $3500 to get a free night, when their coupon-book rate on weekends is just $79.00, and regular rate is around $119.  Even the program's elite members merely get 3 points per dollar.  That really amounts to such a negligible payout that it is hardly worth the bother.

Wyndham has me royally ticked!  I spent quite a few nights in various member hotels on a long trip last winter, and not one point accrued to my account.  Yet I know I gave my membership number to each of those hotels.  Gross incompetence on their part is the only reason I can come up with.  Gross neglect on my part for failing to check up on them immediately after each & every stay.

Moral of that story:  Check up on your hotel & airline programs religiously!  However, even that does not always work, as witnessed with Hilton.

However, I have one that seems to be working pretty well.  Red Roof Redi-Card!  The chain is really quite modest, but so far, always clean, decent condition, friendly front desk staff.  Far from luxury, but perfectly acceptable.  They're good on all the basics, and sometimes that's all you need or want.  The ROI on their Redi-Card program is worth checking out!  You get 10 points per dollar spent, and 6000 points (expenditure of $600) results in a free night.  Return on your investment comes out a bit over 10% using room rates of, typically, $60 and up.  Sounds like this organization really wants its customers to keep coming back!  I love luxury (who doesn't?!), but cleanliness, courtesy, and just keeping everything - including the rewards accounting - straight do count for a lot.

Better a very modest but well managed hotel, nice people at the desk, and such than high bills and nothing to show for it.

Check your rewards programs if you have not done so recently.  Really investigate their program - surprises can come up with a little serious digging through the website.  E.g. finding out which "category," therefore points-cost for a reward, a particular hotel falls within can take some research on the spg.com website.

To make these reward programs pay off better than bargain coupon-book rates or last-minute "fire sale" bookings, you need to make your money do double- or triple- or quadruple-duty.  Check out your credit cards to see if you get cash back on what you spend.  Or whether you can get airline miles or free hotel nights through your credit card as well as your hotel/airline rewards program.

Got any more ideas for maxing your money?  Tell, tell!

May your road rise to meet you!
Ann